Chairman Alexander: Senate Legislation Will Keep Paychecks Coming For Workers and Help Relieve Financial Burdens For Americans Hurt By COVID-19

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2020 — Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act will help keep Americans healthy, keep paychecks coming for workers, and help relieve financial burdens for Americans hurt by COVID-19.

“The government has shut down the economy for the public health, so the Senate is responsible for taking steps to help families, workers and business who have been hurt by the outbreak of COVID-19,” Alexander said. “This bill will keep payroll checks coming to workers during the crisis, relieve financial burdens on Americans during the crisis, and contain the disease. This legislation fixes and significantly improves the paid leave policies passed by the House of Representatives. Additionally, the bill will help improve our health care capability and provide relief to schools and students who have had their education disrupted. Specifically, the bill would help expand testing, make all COVID-19 tests free, increase hiring of more health care workers, increase supply of personal protective equipment, and speed the development of new vaccines and treatments. The legislation allows students to defer payment on their student loans and to keep their Pell grants.”

Background:

The CARES Act will help keep Americans healthy by:

• Addressing supply shortages for drugs and equipment, including ventilators and masks
• Increasing access and affordability of health care for COVID-19
• Speeding development of faster diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments

The CARES Act will help students and schools who have had their education disrupted by:

• Allowing students to defer student loan payments for 6 months and keep their Pell grants
• Allowing federal academic testing and accountability rules to be waived

The legislation will provide relief to workers and businesses by fixing and improving the paid leave policies passed by the House of Representatives.

A section-by-section of the legislation is available here. 

A one-pager of provisions from the HELP Committee is available here. 

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